es to rise to a
higher level, and cannot do so alone, but must needs be helped, it is a
Mitzveh to help her, to raise her, and this Mitzveh is specially
incumbent on the priest. This is the meaning of 'the seven lamps shall
give light over against the candlestick,' by which is meant the holy
Torah. The priest must bring the Jew's heart near to the Torah; in this
way he is able to raise it. And who is the priest? The righteous in his
generation, because since the Temple was destroyed, the saint must be a
priest, for thus is the command from above, that he shall be the
priest...."

"Avrohom!" the Rebbe called suddenly, "Avrohom! Come here, I am calling
you."

The other went up to him.

"Avrohom, did you understand? Did you make out the meaning of what I
said?

"Your silence," the Rebbe went on, "is an acknowledgment. I must raise
you, even though it be against my will and against your will."

There was dead stillness in the room, people waiting to hear what would
come next.

"You are silent?" asked the Rebbe, now a little sternly.

"_You_ want to be a raiser of souls? Have _you_, bless and preserve us,
bought the Almighty for yourself? Do you think that a Jew can approach
nearer to God, blessed is He, through _you_? That _you_ are the 'handle
of the pestle' and the rest of the Jews nowhere? God's grace is
everywhere, whichever way we turn, every time we move a limb we feel
God! Everyone must seek Him in his own heart, because there it is that
He has caused the Divine Presence to rest. Everywhere and always can the
Jew draw near to God...."

Thus answered Reb Avrohom, but our people, the Rebbe's followers, shut
his mouth before he had made an end, and had the Rebbe not held them
back, they would have torn him in pieces on the spot.

"Leave him alone!" he commanded the Chassidim.

And to Reb Avrohom he said:

"Avrohom, you have sinned!"

And from that day forward he was called the Sinner, and was shut out
from everywhere. The Chassidim kept their eye on him, and persecuted
him, and he was not even allowed to pray in the house-of-study.

And I'll tell you what I think: A wicked man, even when he acts
according to his wickedness, fulfils God's command. And who knows?
Perhaps they were both right!

ISAAC DOB BERKOWITZ

Born, 1885, in Slutzk, Government of Minsk (Lithuania), White
Russia; was in America for a short time in 1908; contributor to Die
Zukunft; co-editor of Ha-Olam, Wilna; Hebrew and Yid